Fourth in the Play Ball series: Rosa's birthday is coming up and excitement, along with some drama is in the air. Luke and Lorelai worry about their relationship while Jess and Rory fret about the future.

NOTE:
I don't own these Gilmore Girls characters, as they're the property of the WB. Rosa is very much mine, though.

A/N:
I know what you're thinking. It took me forever to write this one, right? Well,
now it's time for a new one. For those of you who've never read the other
stories you might want to go find them and refresh yourself before touching
this one. Anyway, enjoy!

CHAPTER 3

Rosa bounced energetically into
a Kids Gap store followed by Luke and Lorelai. The two adults watched the child
as she moved through the many racks of clothes awfully filled with liveliness.

"I'm thinking we shouldn't have let
her have the smoothie and the ice
cream," Luke said.

"Hey, if you can resist that face, I'll
take my hat off to you," said Lorelai.

"So why are we here, exactly?" Luke
asked her, looking at a display of kiddy jewelry.

"Luke, honey, we talked about this in
the car," Lorelai reminded him. "I want to horribly humiliate you by bringing
you into a little kid's store."

"Took me all the way to Hartford just to humiliate me,"
Luke sighed. "I can feel the growth in this relationship."

"Yeah," Lorelai said, absentmindedly
looking through a rack of blouses. "I actually wanted to talk to you about
that."

"Oh, right," Lorelai remembered. "Well, it's just
that you and I have been in this thing for a pretty long while now. Thick and
thin and all that fun couple-y stuff."

"This leading to a general point?" Luke nudged.

"Uncle Luke," Rosa said, walking up. "Look.
They got that baseball cap you wear all the time." She held up a blue cap,
which was very identical to the one Luke wore on his head at the moment.

"Really exciting stuff, kid," Luke said with fake
interest.

"Rosa, you remember the deal," Lorelai said,
hugging Luke's arm. "It's my turn to annoy Luke. You can have him back in an
hour."

"OK," Rosa said then walked off
again. "Can we go to the food court?"

"You just had two desserts," Luke said.

"That was dessert," Rosa said. "Not pizza."

"She has a point there," Lorelai had to agree then
smiled at Rosa. "Sure. Let's go."

Rosa smiled and headed out of
the store.

"I guess we'll talk later," Luke said to Lorelai.

"Later is good," Lorelai said, hiding her
disappointment.

Rory stood among a crowd at Luke's diner, all
people arguing at once. Rory shook her head in exasperation for what had to be
the fourth time that past hour. How could something as simple as planning a birthday
party for a little girl be so complicated? Rory made her way through the people
and went to stand on top of the counter, looking a firm leader.

"People, please," Rory said. "We're having the
party indoors."

"But outdoors makes a statement, honey," said Miss
Patty.

"I'm allergic to most things found outdoors," said
Kirk meekly.

Rory sighed as the arguing continued then climbed
down from the counter and headed outside. What kind of mother, or almost
mother, would she be if she couldn't even plan Rosa's birthday party properly?
Then Lorelai wasn't there to help regulate the people with her amusing comments,
as she and Luke were keeping Rosa busy that day.

"You're wearing that deep in thought look of yours,"
a familiar voice said suddenly. "What's wrong?"

Rory looked up to see… "Dean!"

"Hey," Dean smiled at her.

Rory went up to him and started to hug him, but
stopped herself and just touched him lightly. "What are you doing in town?"

"I'm staying with my mom for summer," the young man
replied. "God, I haven't seen you in two years. How have you been?"

"I'm good," Rory replied with a shrug.

"I've been in town for like two days and I already
heard that you and Jess were back together and you're acting as mother to his
wedlock born child."